Worldwide, only a handful of companies control commercial food-plant breeding, seed sales and more. The hybrid seeds they develop are controlled by patents and protections so they can no longer be saved, shared or further developed by farmers and food growers.

This puts the future of our food growing in the hands of multi-national corporations, bent on making profits and controlling market share.

It also puts farmers, market gardeners and home growers in a vulnerable position where they are forced to buy new seed every season just to be able to grow food.

Even if the seeds aren’t under these protections, plants grown from hybrid seeds typically do not produce seeds that can be used to grow the same variety of plant (in other words, the plants don’t grow true to type), and can even produce seeds that will not germinate at all.

Julie Davies is an experienced seed saver from the Bega Valley and has been instrumental in helping SAGE establish its own seed saving network. For Julie, saving seed is both a locally and globally important issue.

“While we in Australia might be able to buy annual seeds easily, what about people in poor communities around the world?" she said.

"They are even more reliant on and vulnerable to these multi-national corporations who control the seed market."

She believes this is why growing non-hybrid seed in our own region is so important and why local organisations like SAGE and the Bega Valley Seedsavers - which have been in operation for nearly 15 years - are providing a crucial service.

“When we rely on local food and save seeds from our own crops, then we have improved our region’s food security as we face an uncertain future,” Julie said.

“If you grow plants from non-hybrid (open pollinated) seed, including heritage and heirloom seed, you can save your own seed and swap and share the excess with your community.

"You will potentially never have to buy seed again. This helps build a more resilient and better connected community.”

SAGE offers a growing range of locally saved seeds for sale at the SAGE Farmers Market, held every Tuesday from 3pm at Riverside Park. 

You can get started in seed saving by attending a seed saving workshop with Julie at the SAGE Garden on Sunday, April 7. SAGE members $50 or non-members $60. Bookings on the website at sageproject.org.au or call Sandra on 0439 032 038.